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Property know-how with George

This month property developer, architect and presenter of Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces, George Clarke, looks at what home improvements are likely to put off potential buyers and devalue your home

We are a nation of home improvers. We love to spend money on our homes to make them as beautiful and as ‘homely’ as possible. The phrase ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’ rings true as we do take pride in creating a stable home to not only provide shelter, but also to be a place that can craft the way our families live.

But, it is important that any home improvements we do spend our hard-earned money on are the right things to do and genuinely ‘improve’ the home rather than put off any future potential buyers or, worse still, devalue your home.

About Your Home Magazine

Hoorah! Summer is here and if, like me, the sunshine makes you want to spend as much time as you can outdoors, then I know you’re going to enjoy this issue. To begin with we’ve got some gorgeous creative projects on page 60 to give your garden the ‘wow’ factor. The cat planter is my favourite, it’s so cute! Meanwhile, on page 66, we show you how to make raised beds for your garden – perfect if you’ve always wanted to grow your own fruit and veg. For many of us, summertime makes us think of beds and borders brimming with colourful flowers, but there’s another important element that you should spend time getting right and that’s the foliage. Turn to page 114 for our guide to which leafy plants will give your garden year-round interest. But, of course, gardening isn’t all about planting and pruning, you should always make time to enjoy your hard work. So why not treat yourself to one of our favourite new garden furniture designs on page 44? Talking of new designs, we’ve gone all contemporary on our kitchen and bathroom pages this issue, from glossy kitchens (p.55) to super sleek suites (p.48), you’re sure to find a look you love. Meanwhile, if you’re thinking of updating your bedroom, look no further than this month’s makeovers (p.24), and if you’re trying to choose a new colour for your next decorating scheme then why not try this season’s hottest shade – Denim Drift? On page 36 we’ve got some great colour scheming ideas to make this gorgeous shade of blue work in any home. Finally, make sure you take a peek at our recipe pages this month, as we’ve got some delicious ways to cool down with frozen desserts and ice lollies (p.100).